“Careful what you wish for” – Crystal Palace boss uses Charlton as an example of when Premier League change badly backfired

Roy Hodgson has cited Charlton Athletic as an example of when staying in the Premier League is underappreciated – with some Crystal Palace fans restless for managerial change.

The Addicks suffered relegation from the top flight in 2007 after a disastrous season that followed parting company with long-serving boss Alan Curbishley.

Charlton had been in the Premier League for seven campaigns before dropping into the second tier.

Asked if consolidating top-flight status is underappreciated, Hodgson replied: “I do think it is difficult and important for clubs. People need to be careful.

“When Alan Curbishley left Charlton many years ago, they were constantly in the top half of the table. It [a managerial changed] was because fans were not happy and thought that finishing in the top half of the Premiership wasn’t enough and that they needed to kick on. They did, they kicked downwards and that is the only problem.

“You have to be careful. This is part and parcel of our football life. As a manager, coach or player you’re going to be criticised for performances and people are going to read into things from performances that are not always there.

“As owners, you’re also going to face a lot of criticism from time to time. The so-called ‘lack of ambition’, whatever that happens to be – it covers a multitude of sins. These are topics and issues that are going to be raised every time you have a spell which is not living up to people’s expectations or hopes really.

“It is not a bad achievement for a team that has actually spent not very much money and has worked within a reasonable budget to be in the league every year. If people want more than that then it is going to take an enormous amount of investment because these days to get yourself into that top half of the Premier League – we can see what these clubs are spending – it is going to involve a massive expenditure.”